Quick connection, and liquid supply system provided therewith

ABSTRACT

A quick connector for connecting a source of fluid to a working element has a body connectable to the fluid source and having an axis, a fitting member connectable to the working element and axially movable relative to the body, and a locking member connected with the body for locking the body and the fitting member with one another in an assembled condition, the fitting member having a part provided with an outer conical surface which is insertable in an inner conical surface of a holder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to quick connections, and liquid supply systems provided therewith.

More particularly, it relates to quick connections for fluid systems, such as hydraulic and pneumatic systems for connecting a fluid source (source of liquid or gas) to a consumer of fluid (a working element etc.). Devices of the above mentioned general type are known in the art. However, the known devices frequently do not provide features enabling their convenient storage. It is therefore believed to be advisable to provide quick connections which eliminate the disadvantages of the prior art.

A quick connection is disclosed in our U.S. Pat. No. 6,715,801. It has a body connectable to a fluid source, a fitting member connectable to the working element and axially movable relative to the body, and a locking member fixedly connected with the body for locking the body in the fitting member with one another in an assembled condition. It is believed that the known connections and liquid supply systems can be also further improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide quick connection of the above mentioned general type.

In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated in a quick connector for connecting a source of fluid to a working element, comprising a body connectable to the fluid source and having an axis; a fitting member connectable to the working element and axially movable relative to said body; and a locking member connected with said body for locking said body and said fitting member with one another in an assembled condition, said fitting member having a part provided with an outer conical surface which is insertable in an inner conical surface of a holder.

A further feature of the present invention, resides in a liquid supply system, comprising a working element; a quick connector connecting a source of fluid to a working element, and including a body connectable to the fluid source and having an axis; a fitting member connectable to the working element and axially movable relative to said body; and a locking member connected with said body for locking said body and said fitting member with one another in an assembled condition and a holder for holding said quick connection, said fitting member having a part provided with an outer conical surface which is insertable in an inner conical surface of said holder.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a section of a quick connection in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 2 a, 2 b and 2 c are views showing a section side view, a section top view and an end view of a body of the inventive quick connection;

FIG. 3 is a partially sectioned side view of a fitting member of the inventive quick connection;

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b show a section side view and an end view of a closing member of the inventive quick connection;

FIG. 5 is a view showing a fragment identified as A in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a view substantially corresponding to the view of FIG. 1 but additionally showing a bracket in which a threaded part of the fitting member is retained and which is connected with a hand shower, as well as a threaded part of a body which is connected to a water supplying hose; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the device shown in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A quick connection shown in FIG. 1 includes substantially three main components, namely a body 1, a fitting member 2 and a locking member 3. A sealing ring 4 is arranged in a groove of the fitting member. A spring 5 is arranged inside the locking member 3, and a spring ring 6 is arranged in a groove in its outer surface.

The body 1 of the quick connection shown in FIGS. 2 a, 2 b, 2 c has an opening 7, a flange 8, a cylindrical wall 9 with two protections 10 provided at two end sides, and two plate-shaped deflectable tongues 11 provided on the opposite sides. Each tongue 11 has a conical cross-section on the upper part with a projection 13 extending substantially radially outwardly and a projection 14 extending radially inwardly. One end part of the body has an outer thread 14, while the opposite end part of the body is provided with a ring-shaped groove 16.

The fitting member 2 shown in FIG. 3 has a throughgoing opening 17, a threaded opening 18 and two grooves 19 and 20. One end wall of the groove 20 is provided with a rounded projection 21 formed for example by a radius. The groove 19 is limited by a side wall 27 with a rounded portion 28 formed for example by a radius. The threaded part of the fitting member in FIG. 3 is located at the right side of the fitting member. While inside the threaded part the above mentioned threaded opening 18 is located, the outer surface of the threaded part of the fitting member 22 is formed as a conical surface for the purpose which will be explained herein below.

The closing member 3 is shown in FIG. 4. It has an opening 23, an inner flange 24 which extends radially inwardly, two slots 25 located at opposite sides, and a ring-shaped groove 26.

The quick connection in accordance with the present invention operates in the following manner:

The body 1 with its threaded portion 15 is connected to a source of supply of liquid or gas, for example by a nut connected to a hose. The second component of the quick connection, namely the fitting member 2 is connected with a corresponding thread of the working element by the threaded opening 18. By moving of the closing member 3 with compression of the spring 5 to an extreme position, the inner flange 24 releases the tongue 11, so that the tongue 11 opens during movement of the fitting member 2 in the body 1, with action of the end wall 27 and the rounded portion 28 on the projection 14. During a further movement of the fitting member 2 inside the body 1 to the extreme working position, the groove 20 reaches the zone of the projection 14, and when the locking member 3 under the action of the spring 5 reaches its initial position, fixes the projection 14 in the groove 20.

When the fluid system operates under pressure, the fitting member 2 is urged to move out of the body 1. The end wall with the rounded portion 21 applies pressure against the projection 14 and presses the plate-shaped tongues 11 to the inner flange 24, and the projection 13 which is located in this region engages with the locking member 3 and an opening of the connection is prevented.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are views showing the quick connection which connects a water supplying hose 31 to a hand shower 32. The water supplying hose 31 has an inner thread which is screwed on an outer thread of the left part (FIG. 2 a) of the body 1. The hose 31 has an inner thread which is screwed on the outer thread of the left part of the body 1 in FIG. 6.

The hand shower 32 has a left portion with an outer thread which is screwed in the threaded opening 18 of the fitting member 2. The right part of the fitting member has an outer conical surface 22 and is introduced and held in an inner conical surface of a holder 33, which can be attached to the wall for example by a suction cup 34. The inner conical surface of the holder 33 can be formed for example inside two projecting legs 35.

The quick connection is therefore reliably held by the outer conical surface 22 in the inner conical surface of the holder 33.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a quick connection and al liquid supply system provided with it, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications sand structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention. 

1. A quick connector for connecting a source of fluid to a working element, comprising a body connectable to the fluid source and having an axis; a fitting member connectable to the working element and axially movable relative to said body; and a locking member connected with said body for locking said body and said fitting member with one another in an assembled condition, said fitting member having a part provided with an outer conical surface which is insertable in an inner conical surface of a holder.
 2. A quick connection as defined in claim 1, wherein said part having an outer conical surface insertable into an inner conical surface of the holder has an inner opening into which a part of the working element is insertable to be connected with the fitting member.
 3. A quick connection as defined in claim 1, wherein said body has at least one radially deflectable tongue provided with a radially inwardly extending projection and a radially outwardly extending projection, said locking member having a radially outwardly projecting flange, said fitting member having a radially inwardly projecting portion, said projections of said body, said flange of said locking member and said portion of said fitting member being formed so that when fluid is supplied through the connection under pressure, said radially inwardly projecting portion of said fitting member applies pressure against said radially inwardly extending projection of said body and deflects radially outwardly said at least one deflectable tongue and therefore displaces radially outwardly said radially outwardly extending projection of said body so that said radially outwardly extending projection of said body abuts against said radially inwardly extending flange of said locking member and thereby locking member can not be displaced in an axial direction; and locking spring arranged between said body and said locking member.
 4. A quick connection as defined in claim 3, wherein said fitting member has a groove located axially near said radially outwardly projecting portion and formed so that said radially inwardly extending projection of said body engages in said groove and thereby said locking member locks said body with said fitting member.
 5. A quick connection as defined in claim 3, wherein said at least one deflectable tongue has a conical projection.
 6. A liquid supply system, comprising a working element; a quick connection connecting a source of fluid to a working element, and including a body connectable to the fluid source and having an axis; a fitting member connectable to the working element and axially movable relative to said body; and a locking member connected with said body for locking said body and said fitting member with one another in an assembled condition and a holder for holding said quick connection, said fitting member having a part provided with an outer conical surface which is insertable in an inner conical surface of said holder.
 7. A liquid supply system as defined in claim 6, wherein said working element is a hand shower.
 8. A liquid supply system as defined in claim 6, wherein said body is connectable to a shower hose. 